


The Day a Loth-Wolf Saved the Galaxy

by AnneAnna



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Implied Sexual Content, Lothal, Not Canon Compliant - Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine stayed dead, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Redeemed Ben Solo, Reylo free form, based on a twitter conversation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:40:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28777677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnneAnna/pseuds/AnneAnna
Summary: Rey is meditating on Lothal after Crait and with a little intervention is reconnected with Ben in person.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 10
Kudos: 44
Collections: Ijustfellintothissendhelp





	The Day a Loth-Wolf Saved the Galaxy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [enloeddmedia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/enloeddmedia/gifts), [BenSoloHands](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BenSoloHands/gifts), [Hellyjellybean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellyjellybean/gifts).



> I have a billion things to work on but this was fun. Shout out to my Twitter friends, especially Shannon whose encounter with a racoon inspired this.

“Are you sure you’re fine Rey?” Finn asked for the billionth time as they stood in a sea of yellow long grass. 

It took every single miniscule ounce of Rey’s patience to sweetly smile and respond with a “Yes Finn. I’m fine.”

“Because if you are not- “ Finn began again and Rey’s smile wavered.

“Finn I think Rey can handle herself for two nights on Lothal’s plains. Besides we need to get to Jolath before dark.” Rose tugged persistently at Finn’s arm. Rose was finally, finally getting alone time with Finn and his concern for Rey was nice but downright annoying. She would never get to make a move at this point. 

Rey said forcefully, “ I survived for 13 years on Jakku which is far more treacherous than Lothal. There is no one around for miles and now that I have these cyber crystals to fix the lightsaber, I really need to meditate - alone!” 

Finn finally took the hint and he and Rose set off. Rey glanced at their backs as they fled on the speeder and she breathed. She liked them both but she just needed space. 

It had been tough since Crait. Her heart had broken into a billion pieces as Ben Solo chose to remain Kylo Ren so that he could be the Supreme Leader. It was a secret that nobody would ever know and it remained an open wound.

She often wondered what would have happened if she had taken his hand. Would she be Empress and share his bed? What if Ben had taken hers and to the Resistance they returned? Would people forgive him for his bloody past? Rey would like to think so but highly doubted it - his reign had only furthered the Restince’s hatred. No one understood the depth of his loneliness like her, she carried the same weight.

What if they had run away together and tasted the Galaxy. So many worlds, so many markets and lakes and cities; Naboo, Coruscant, Aleen, Crul, Yavin, Dantooine. The possibilities were endless. Rey was longing to explore every inch but instead she had chosen to protect her friends. 

Rey would also have liked to explore every inch of Ben. For there was no denying the attraction, his plush lips, his long fingers, his body forged out of muscle gold. He was a god amongst men and Rey longed to belong to him. But she couldn’t give in to his darkness and he wouldn’t turn to the light. So now when the bond flared, they played the game of let’s pretend we are shadows and not connected. 

Rey decided to walk for a little while and headed towards one of Lothal's famous circle of stones. Ancient and mystic, the stones were of another time and place, convincing Rey that this, this was where she would meditate. 

And so Rey sat down in the midst of the long grass surrounded by the ancient spheres. 

She closed her eyes, fully intending to meditate with the crystals in her hands and instead she fell asleep.

Several hours later Rey awoke to rain trailing down her skin and a rapid crunching. She swiftly swung around and there amongst her belongings perched a giant loth wolf, munching on her portions with glee. 

Granted they were stale and rather disgusting but they were food and as Rey was always hungry her feral beast was unleashed. She charged towards the loth-wolf weaponless and it hissed and gave her a ginormous scratch. That scratch trailed from her elbow to her wrist for the claws of a loth-wolf were not to be messed with. Her arm stung with pain and the beast glibly finished her stores before running off. 

With one arm still stinging Rey picked up her tent, hoping at least she could get shelter from the storm. But luck was not on her side because apparently the loth-wolf had played hide under the covers with her canvas and ripped several holes in it. The blankets had equally been marred. Everything she packed was now useless. 

And Rey, brave strong Jedi girl looked at her empty nap sack, stinging arm and shredded tent and huddled into a ball and wept. The rains continued to pour down and not even the remnants of blankets could protect her. 

And then off course the bond flared to life.

Now Ben Solo was not in a particularly happy mood. Every time the bond opened he was jarred by the reminder of her cruel response to his generous offer, but the sight in front of him jarred him more. Rey was crying, bleeding and soaking wet.

“Oh go away!” Rey hissed, “This is simply perfect. Just perfect. All because of a stupid, stupid loth-wolf!”

It came to him, she was on Lothal. Never had she betrayed her location so easily.

If he were a smart man he would immediately pursue her and capture her. He could have her tortured and have her head. His revenge for her rejection would be taken. But then she would be gone. Would that be so bad? He would never be haunted by her presence again. 

But that haunting was so beautiful and so was she. Her eyes, her freckles, her golden kissable skin. Ben wanted her with every fibre of his being and it tortured him daily that she wasn’t his.

“I’m probably going to die now Ben, so you should be happy.” Rey sniffed. Her words cut him to the core for it was never really his intention for her to be dead. He just wanted revenge for the pain she had inflicted and for it to finally stop.

Her arm was concerningly red. It really looked infected and Ben knew it was worse than she grasped. Her life would not last the night if she did not receive help. His enemy and the love of his life would disappear and he could do nothing. 

“My arm feels like it is on fire, I’m hungry and I’m wet and no one is coming for me for at least forty eight hours. Just go away Kylo Ren. You win, it’s over. Just go away.” Tears streamed down her face 

He felt hollow as he watched her struggle and he moved his lips more than once, trying to finally say something. 

“ Are you still there Kylo Ren?” Rey’s voice was slurred. ‘I wonder if you think of me the way I think of you? I wish sometimes - no all the time that we’d been given a chance. But the Universe is too cruel and I’ll never know if you loved me the way I loved you.”

These words shook Ben to the core. Rey loved him, loved him - she didn’t despise him like he thought. Was this just her delusion, sure she couldn’t mean it, there was no possibility that she was sincere.

But she continued in her fevered state, “I remember that day you were shirtless and I wondered then, what it would be like to touch you, then in the elevator I thought for sure you would kiss me, but you didn’t and then in the throne room I thought you might kiss me again. All you wanted was power, not me. Well congratulations, you got what you wanted.” And Rey passed out again.

She never noticed the tear that trickled down his face as he clenched his fist in pain.

****

Rey awoke in a tent, far more comfortable than expected and immediately glanced down at her arm. A bacta patch had been expertly placed along with a bandage and the pain had greatly diminished. A space heater, blankets and food had been provided. A pillow was underneath her head.

And then, she felt him. Outside in the stillness of the night he stood with his sabre as loth-wolves circled the camp. She heard the sizzle of burned fur as more than one got too close and lost a few hairs in the process.

Ben Solo snarled at them and swung his saber, ready to murder every one. 

She stood up and watched him chase every single loth wolf away and inwardly sang as she knew this was for her, all for her. The tent, the food, the healing. Ben Solo clearly loved her. He had not in the end, deserted her. 

When finally every beast was gone, Ben turned, sweat and rain dripping from his alabaster brows. Rey without hesitation launched herself at him and snuggled into his chiseled chest. Then she placed her lips on his and after a moment of hesitation, he fervently responded. Rey pulled him into the tent and gave him a thank you that was unmistakably clear. Her lips and her hands were all that were required and his “your welcome” was equally loud. Two lost souls were now found. 

  
  


***

Finn and Rose were in a cantina when the news came over the Holonet, shocking the Galaxy. The Finalizer had self destructed instantly wiping out most of the First Order High Council. Apparently whoever the culprit was they had also plugged the same computer frequency into several other First Order ships wiping out the majority of the stormtrooper army. The losses were heavy and it was said that this was the beginning of the end of the First Order. Perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn’t but the game had significantly changed. 

A day later Finn and Rose wandered in search of Rey and could not find her. Her disappearance was alarming and completely unexplained. There was not a clue left behind until Finn found the kyber crystals nestled between two stones. 

Rose, who had been Rey’s roommate for six months and was well aware of Rey’s nightly dreams wondered if maybe the destruction of the First Order and Rey’s disappearance just might be connected.

She hoped they were. Then she saw a lone loth-wolf with it’s glossy gray coat and she swore it winked at her before it returned to its home.

Loth-wolves were fairly intelligent as highly force sensitive sentient beings. They tended to leave humans alone but a force bond was a fascinating thing as well as the humans connected by it, both clearly idiots. It was really rather simple the ole damsel in distress trick, you would think the grandson of Anakin would have picked up on it. It really didn’t matter, the Galaxy was balanced once again. 


End file.
